Step One: Choose a TopicResearch Tutorial

Whether you have been assigned a prompt or set free to write on any related subject, the first step is always the same: choose a

topic!

Hint: Pick something that interests you!

For this tutorial we have chosen the topic of

triremes in the Persian Wars.

Step Two: General ReferenceBefore giving into bad habits, typing “Triremes in the Persian War” into Google, and reading a Wikipedia article, know that there is a better, more effective way to start your research!

The Scribner Library has a collection of reputable encyclopedias and dictionaries designed just for Classics where you can gain a fundamental understanding of your

topic.

You do not even need to take the stairs!The Reference collection is located on the first floor.

The General Reference tab presents you with three good places to start.

Let’s try the Oxford Classical Dictionary DE5 .O9 2003

Step Two: General ReferenceHere is the entry for “Trireme” in

theOxford Classical Dictionary

We learned the basic structure of the ship,

how the oarsmen were organized, thatmost scholars attribute its invention to

thePhoenicians or Egyptians, and, among

other important facts, that the Atheniansmastered the use of the ship during the

5th

century BCE. This seems like a great start.

The dictionary entry also points youto other resources – in this

instance, twobooks – which are available either

in theScribner Library collection or

through Interlibrary Loan (ILLiad)

Step Two: General ReferenceThere are also digital reference

works such as the online Britannica

Here is the entry using the search term “trireme”

This article points us to anotherarticle on the Battle of Salamis in

480BCE during the Persian War

The article also gives us useful key

words and characters, such asThemistocles, Aristides, and

Artemisia

Step Three: Into the StacksMuch of the scholarship you need

andthe keys to finding useful materialselsewhere are located right in the

Scribner Library stacks.

A search in the LUCY Catalogue provides

three options: a keyword search, an advanced search, or

a simple search.

Let’s use a keyword search with our term

“trireme”

We get three results

We know that Herodotus wrote onthe Persian Wars so let’s start there

Step Three: Into the StacksAt first glance Herodotus’ Histories

may not seem to be the bestresource, since the search located

works with “trireme” in the title, but a quick look at the table of contents

reveals a specificappendix titled

“Trireme Warfare in Herodotus” by Nicolle Hirshfeld

The appendix is useful in and of itself with great information, pictures, maps, and diagrams, but it also provides tips

on where else to search embedded within the footnotes.

She suggests the same book referenced by the Oxford Classical

Dictionary

Hirshfeld also makes reference to helpful journal articles

Her footnotes providereferences to triremes in the primary

sources (here, in Herodotus’ Histories)

Step Three: Into the StacksBoth the Oxford Classical Dictionary

and Hirschfeld’s appendix article make reference to

Morrison, J.S, & J.F. Coates, The Athenian Trireme: The History and Reconstruction of an Ancient Greek

Warship. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press, 1986.

Our LUCY Catalogue search showed that the Scribner Library does not

have this resource, but we can get it through Interlibrary Loan (ILLiad or

ILL).

The link to ILL is located on the Scribner Library home page under

My Account.You will need to enter your

Skidmore username and password.

Then click on the type of resource you want to request, in our case

“Book,” and fill in as much information as possible.

Step Four: DatabasesThe same footnote that points tothe Morrison book also suggests

areview by D. Potter, published inBryn Mawr Classical Review, of

abook by R.T. Wallinga, Xerxes’Greek Adventure: The naval

perspective.

A link to The Bryn Mawr Classical

Review is found under theDatabase tab on the Classics

Research home page.

Use the number provided to find the right review …

and here’s the review!

Step Four: DatabasesThe Hirschfeld article

suggested a journal article published in Classical

Antiquity.

You can directly access Journals through the

Lucy Scribner Library Journals tab at

the top of your screen.

Using the search box, type the title of the journal we

are looking for: “Classical Antiquity”

and click Search!

Step Four: DatabasesYou’ll get a screen that looks like this

Choose which database contains the article you are looking for based on

publication date.

In our case each database contains the article, but for some searches you may find only one database contains the right article. The

Scribner Library Journals search does this ‘guess and check’ for you.

Our article is from 1988, so we can choose the first JSTOR link.

This will bring you directly to the JSTOR database where you have

access to every volume of this publication.

Using date and page numbers, you can find the one you need!

Step Five: Primary SourcesThe Hirschfeld appendix uses primary sources extensively,

specifically Herodotus’ Histories.

The Primary Sources tab on the

Classics Research homepage provides links to online

collections of primary sources in

Greek, Latin, and English.

The Perseus Digital Library is a great resource for the study of primary texts and provides

original Greek or Latin, as well as English translations.

Use the links to “Popular Texts” or

search for the text using the search box at the top of the

page

Step Five: Primary SourcesThe reference we are looking for

isHerodotus’ Histories (1.166).Perseus provides both the Greek and English versions

Step Six: Art and ArchaeologyFinally, we know from the

Britannica and Oxford Classical Dictionary entries, the Hirschfeld appendix, and other resources we’ve found along the way that there is a

wealth of archaeological evidence for triremes as well as a modern reconstruction

to support our findings.

Using the database ARTstor, a search for “trireme” yields

multiple results.

Step Six: Art and Archaeology

Museum collections are other good

resources for art and archaeological

materials. Links are providedunder the Museums tab.

A quick search of the MFA- Boston collections yields

Different search termsmay yield better results.

A modified search (keyword: sailing)

of the Metropolitan Museum of Art-New York, produces

Step Seven: Keep DiggingUsing the skills you have learned, the resources provided by the ScribnerLibrary and the Classics Research page, keep looking for books, journal

articles and relevant bibliographies.

Be sure to return to books we skipped over. Our LUCY Catalogue search for “trireme” produced three texts. You can use the techniques applied to

the Hirschfeld appendix with the remaining two texts to find more sources. Also, examine

the titles and tables of contents of books shelved near these sources (a “shelf read”)

to find other relevant information.

Try using other search terms that we found along the way – for example, the

“Battle of Salamis.” A LUCY Catalogue search returns another three books worth examining!

Have fun and good luck!

Researched and designed by Elizabeth Kiggins ‘12